Gate fastener



Se t; 18, 1923. mmm

E. ALLEN GATE FASTENER Filed Nov. 1', 1920 Fag! , A; I IZ INVENTOR. Edwzh/ flllen/ 4 ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 18, 1923.

reefer res EDWIN ALLEmforeaL sBUne,'ILLINoIs, rissreuon or ONE-HALF TO EDWARD J.

a V I KING, oreArEsB R-e, ILLINOIS.-

GATE FASTENER.

v Application filed November 1, 1920. SrialNoi 420,885.

7T0 allwhomMandy/"concern:

Be it known that I, Enwin AL EN, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Galesking,- in the countyof Knox and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Gate Fasteners, of Which the following is a full, clear, concise,

andexact description,. refer ence being had to the-accompanying drawings, forming'a part of this specification. i

' This invention relates to improvements ingates.

One object ofthe invention is to provide a simple and efiicient gate of the swinging typewhich is so arranged: as to be automatically unlatched and opened by driving a vehicle, such as an automobile, thereagainst and without the necessity'of the driver or other-occupant of the-vehicle descending to the ground to release the gate; V v A more specificobjectof the invention is to provide a swinging gate of the character above indicated which is further characterized by means arranged to automatically re 255 turn the gate to closed latched position after the vehicle has passed; and bv means arranged to prevent theigateibeing accidentally released and opened by hogs, cattle or v other'animals. V a 305 *In the drawing forming a part of this specification," F igure l is an elevational View of a gate showing my improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is atop plan view of the structure'illustrated in Figure 1.

@Q'PFigiire 3 is aIieud eleva i V of the gate, the figure beingupona somewhat enlarged scale and illustrating also the .manner in" whichthe gate is unlatched orwreleased. Figure 4 is a broken, elevational view similar to Figure 1 illustrating another embodiment of'the invention, And Figure 5 is a detail horizontal sectional view corresponding?substantially to-the'line 55 of Figure 4;

. Figures 1, 2jand 3, a pair of gate posts is indicated atlO and 11, spaced in the usual manneryto define'the gate opening of desired width. The post lO isp'rovided with,

a rigid vertically'elongated pivot or hinge pin 12 suitably united to the post 10 as indic'ated. Thegat'e proper is indicatedet 13, the same being shown asflcompr'ising a plu- I, rality of horizo'ntallyfextending spaced slats 14 upright' braces 15-15 in the form In said drawing and referring first to of angle irons, and diagonal braces 16-46. The gate shown is of the so-called non-sag ging type but, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the type of gate and its construction may be varied as desired without departing from the spirit of the invention. The gate 13-is swingably mounted on the hinge or pivot bar 12 by a pair of hinge straps 1717, it being obvious that the latter are so located as to permit the gate to rise on the pivot bar 12.

On the other post 11 opposite the free end ofthe-gate, i's'secured-a casting or plate 18 notched on its upper face as indicated at 19. The plate 18'has its upper edges curved on opposite sides of the notch 19 as indicated at 20-20 so that said edges 20 are adapted to act as elevating cams for the free end of the latch bar 21 which is pivotally mounted on the gate 13 at the point indicated at 22. The latch bar 21 is preferably ofthe same width as the slats 14 and'is vertically guided between theupright braces 1515 which are applied to opposite sides of the slats, asiclearly indicated in Figures land 3. With the construction of plate 18 and latch bar 21 above described, it is evident that, as the gate swings to normal closed position, the latch bar will be elevated by the cam edges 20 and finally seat itself in the notch 19, thereby locking the gate in closed position. i

To efiiect the release ofthe gate latch, I employ an elongated rod orshaft 23 which is rotatably supported at its ends in suitable bearing brackets 242t secured to the gate. At the end of the shaft 23 corresponding to the free end of the gate thereis secured sis a vertically ups'tandinglever 25 having a.

is formed with a pair of oppositely extended arms 3030 The "arms 30 are bent out wardly and downwardly as clearly shown in Figure 3' and at their lower ends extend in a nearly vertical direction asindicated at 31-31. On each sideof the gate proper is secured to the portions 31, a horizontally extending relatively wide bumper board or bar 32. The boards or bars 32 are made of a length greater than the usual gauge of automobiles, trucks and like vehicles and are loicated approximately at a level correspond-' ing to the axles, as indicated inFigure 3 where a wheel is' diagrammatically illustratedby dotted linesat 33. With. the con- 'struction just described, it' is evident that or bars 32, on either side ofthe gate, will 15.

the wheels of a vehicle engaging the boards compel oscillation of the shaft 23 andthe latter in turn will effect release of the latchbar 21 through the double-acting cam lever 25. After the release of the latch, as. the vehicle continues'to push against the gate,

the latter will be swung about its vertical pivot as will be obvious. The bars or boards 32 are also preferably made sufliciently wide to insure the bumpers, if any,-and the usual automobile running boards engaging the faces thereof and to prevent possibility of running boardscor other projecting parts of the automobiles engaging any other part of the gate while the vehicle is passing through the gate opening. I

'In connection withthe latch bar 21, I

employ an adjustable spring device in orderto prevent accidental release of the latch by cattle, hogs, or other animals pushing against the bars orboards 32. In-tlie construction shown, I employ a plate spring 34 which bears on the upper side of the latchfbar '21. One end of said spring34c is preferably attached on apin 25 between two of the uprights 15. The other end of the spring 34:

V is attached as indicated at 36 to a shackle 37 which is vertically adjustably mounted, as

by means of a pin and a series of openings,

to one of the slats 14. As will be evident, by adjusting the shackle 37, the spring presi sure-on the latch bar 21 may be varied so as to prevent the latch bar from being released by anycomparatively light pressure exerted 4 against the bumper boards 32. As will be -In order to insure the return to normal closed position,after the vehicle i has passed through the opening, Imay use the following arrangement. Secured to the.

obvious to those skilled in the art, various Lother devices may be employed to regulate the amount of pressure required to release the latch. 1

of the gate post 10 is a plate 39 having a substantially circular double cam track 4H0, the lowest portions of the track being in line with the gate when the latte'r is in closedposition.

. Secured to the slat 14: of theigate immediately adjacent the plate tracks 40, is a a bracket ll carrying an anti friction roller 42 WlllCli' is adapted to ride upon the track 40 tas'the gate swings.-. As will be obvious, as

the gate swings to either side of. normal closed position, the gate will be vertically elevated on its pivot pin or bar 12 and con sequently, after the ,vehiclejhas passedby the gate, the latter will be returned'automati cally to its closed position under the infiuence of gravity.

I In Figures 4 and 5, a somewhat different 7 construction; is illustrated which is prefer;

ableunder some conditions. As shown in said Fi ures 4- and 5 a vertical ivot in or barf 112 is employed, s'ecuredto the post 110 in any suitable "manner and the gate is vertically adjustably mounted ontheop-p'osite bar 112 by means ofhinge straps 117-117, each of which carries a grooved anti-friction roller. 50. and 51, respectively. The roller 50 carried by the upperhinge strap; 117 is located onthe side of thehinge bar 112 remote from the gate and the roller-51 is carried by the lower hinge strap 117 between the gate; and the hinge bar. This is done in consideration of the fact that the Weight of J the gate will exert a pull toward the left at the top and push inwardly at the bottom toward the right, as viewed inFigiire and as will be understood by those skilled in the;

art. Inthis constructionIlocate'the double V The'operation of the gate willbe the same as that .hereinbefore described in connection with the gate shown inFigures 1 to 3. It

will also be understood by those skilled in the.

art, that other means may be employed to insure the swinging-return of the gate to closed position G g I-lhave herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out the invention, but the same is merely illustrative and 'I contemplate all changes and modifications that come WltlllIl; the-scope of the claims appended'hereto.

I claim: a

1. In a gate structure, the combination; with upright elements defining' the gate opening and agateproper hinged at. one of its ends to one of said elements to swing 7 about a vertical axis; of releasable locking means for the gate; means: arranged .to be operated by a vehicle wheel, said means being pivoted about a horizontal. axis" and provided with vehicle wheel contactingeleinents rigid therewith extended to both sides of the gate, the freeends of said'elements being-normally spaced from the fgate prop er, a distance-sufficient to allowlfullbperative movement'of thepivoted means and adapted to be, engaged directly the i ve-;

; hicle wheel and moved inwardly toward the gate prior to-a possibility of the vehicle wheel engaging the gate proper on either side; and devices interposed between said pivotally mounted means and said locking means operable to release the latter upon actuation of said pivotally mounted means.

2. In a ate structure, the combination a with uprig t elements defining the gate opening and'a gate proper hinged at one of its ends to oneof said elements to swing about a vertical axis; of a notched locking plate secured to the other of said elements; a latch bar pivotally mounted on the gate proper to move in a vertical plane and adapted to. cooperate with said plate to lock the door in closed position; means extended laterally from the side of the gate adapted to be operated by a vehicle wheel prior to the possibility of the vehicle wheel engag ing the gate proper, said means being movable toward and from the gate proper; and devices interposed between said movable means and the pivoted latch bar operable to elevate the latter from the locking plate.

3. In agate structure including a gate proper pivotally mounted, the combination with a releasable locking means for said gate; movable means extended laterally from the side of the gate at a level to be engaged by and operated by a vehicle wheel prior to the possibility of the vehicle wheel engaging the gate proper, devices interposed between said movable means and the locking means operable to release the latter upon said movable means being actuated by the vehicle wheel; and adjustable means for regulating the amount of force required to actuate said releasable locking means.

4:. In a gate structure, the combination with spaced gate posts and a gate proper;-

of means for pivotally mounting said gate proper to one of said posts, a latch plate secured to the other of said posts; a latch bar pivotally mounted on the gate proper; adjustable means governing the force required to actuate the latch bar; a shaft pivotally mounted on the gate proper; horizontally extending wheel-engageable bars on opposite sides of the gate proper and rigidly associated with said shaft whereby the latter is adapted to be oscillated when either of said bars is engaged by a vehicle wheel; and a double acting cam lever carried by said shaft cooperable with said latch bar to release the latter from the latch plate.

5. In a gate structure; the combination with spaced gate posts and a gate proper; of means for pivotally mounting said gate proper to one of said posts to swing about a vertical axis; a latch plate secured to the other of said posts; a latch bar pivotally mounted on the gate proper and cooperable with said plate; a shaft pivotally mounted on the gate proper; horizontally extending wheel-engageable bars on opposite sides of the gate proper and rigidly atached to said shaft whereby the latter is adapted to be oscillated when either of said bars is enga ed by the vehicle wheel; and a double acting cam lever carried by said shaft cooperable with said latch bar to release the latter from the latch plate.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of Oct, 1920.

.EDWIN ALLEN. Witnesses:

J AS. B. ALLEN; FRED. G. HALL. 

